The UK’s Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub announces today that it will be partnering with Colt Technology Services (Colt), the global digital infrastructure company.  The IQN Hub is  a £20m+ R&D initiative which connects academia, government and industry to advance quantum-secure communications technologies. Joining a collaboration of 15 leading British Universities and National Laboratories, plus nearly 50 other companies from across the telecommunications, quantum technology, cybersecurity, digital services and space sectors, Colt will contribute its leading expertise in global digital infrastructure and connectivity services to the Hub’s research programme.

The new partnership will deepen collaboration between Colt and the UK’s leading quantum communications researchers on addressing the security and networking challenges posed by a post-quantum future. The fast-approaching realisation of a functional, fault-tolerant quantum computer will dramatically alter the global cybersecurity landscape, essentially rendering classical cryptographic security methods obsolete. This partnership will focus on building and demonstrating new and cutting-edge quantum-secure communications methods which can be deployed, at scale, throughout existing networks. This will support the ‘defence-in-depth’ strategy adopted by Colt as part of their journey towards providing fully quantum-safe data services across their global network.

The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub is one of five flagship quantum technology Hubs announced under the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), a £2.5 billion investment over the next 10 years aiming to position the UK as a world-leading quantum-enabled economy by 2035.

Prof. Gerald Buller, IQN Hub Director said “We are thrilled to welcome Colt as a new partner in the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub. Working closely with industry is essential if the Hub is to achieve its ambitious plans to establish a world-leading quantum network infrastructure here in the UK. Colt’s global infrastructure base, exceptional expertise in optical networks, and commitment to becoming an industry leader in quantum-secure communications all bring huge strengths to our programme. We are very excited to see what we can deliver together through this new partnership.”

Buddy Bayer, Chief Operating Officer, Colt Technology Services said, “Collaboration is critical for the UK is to fulfil its ambition of becoming a quantum-enabled economy in the near future. The IQN Hub is a launchpad for this goal, bringing together industry, government, and academia to share the talent, tools, and insights that will fast-track innovation and secure the UK’s position as a quantum leader on the global stage. We’re excited to be part of the IQN Hub and look forward to working together to accelerate progress”.

 

About Colt Technology Services

Colt Technology Services (Colt) is a global digital infrastructure company which creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose.

Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to a global business spanning 40+ countries, with over 6,000 employees and more than 80 offices around the world. Colt’s customers benefit from expansive digital infrastructure connecting 32,000 buildings across 230 cities, more than 50 Metropolitan Area Networks and 275+ Points of Presence across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America’s largest business hubs.

Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector. Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and the planet.

Connect with Colt on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook

For more information, please visit www.colt.net

 

To celebrate this special International Year of Quantum, our Integrated Quantum Networks Hub researchers will be participating in the Royal Society’s Summer Science Exhibition in a specially installed Quantum Zone!

Join us at the Royal Society in London (6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG) between the 1st and 6th of July to find out more about the exciting research and innovation in quantum technologies that is being carried out by academia, industry and government across the UK. The full exhibit includes the following areas:

• Quantum building blocks: What is quantum? What is a qubit? Explore these questions and more. Here you can learn about the core concepts behind quantum science and technology through interactive activities about components used to build different quantum technologies.
• Building quantum technologies: Learn how scientists and researchers use quantum concepts and components to build different technologies. From quantum chips to quantum sensors, you’ll discover a range of quantum technologies being developed by researchers across the UK.
• Quantum in the real world: Explore how quantum technologies are currently impacting our lives and how they may impact them in the future. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, climate, finance or beyond, you can explore how quantum technologies are relevant to you.

The IQN Hub will join the other Quantum Technology Hubs, National Quantum Computing Centre, Quantum Software Lab, National Physical Laboratory and other key stakeholders from the UK’s thriving quantum community to showcase its SPOQC (Satellite Platform in Optical Quantum Communications) space mission, scheduled for launch later this year.

Attendance is free. To find out more about the full programme of events, visit Summer Science Exhibition 2025 | Royal Society

UK businesses invited to use world-class quantum facility to develop next-generation secure communications  

May 2nd, 2025

A cutting-edge £2.5 million facility that will help secure next-generation communications against cyber threats officially opened today at Heriot-Watt University’s Research Park in Edinburgh, Scotland.  

The Quantum Communications Hub Optical Ground Station (named HOGS) represents a significant leap forward in the UK’s space and quantum capabilities. Using advanced laser technology to communicate with satellites in ways that could make data breaches a thing of the past, HOGS marks a transition from traditional radio frequency communications to optical links that offer significantly higher data rates and improved security.  

The societal benefits extend far beyond academic research and business applications. For the public, the facility’s work will directly contribute to more secure everyday transactions ranging from online banking to health data protection, with the potential to create networks that cannot be hacked. 

The facility will shortly add state-of-the-art single-photon detectors and adaptive optics systems capable of exchanging quantum-encrypted information with orbiting satellites. This technology could eventually form the backbone of an ultra-secure quantum internet within the UK. 

Beyond its cybersecurity focus, the facility will monitor and track space debris which is a growing concern as Earth’s orbit becomes increasingly congested. The facility will also pioneer new techniques in high-speed optical communications that could power future 6G networks and beyond. 

Dr Ross Donaldson, project lead from Heriot-Watt University’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, said: “This facility represents a quantum leap for UK communications security. With cyber threats evolving daily, we urgently need to create networks that are secured by the laws of physics, not by encryption that could be broken by future technologies.  

“HOGS allows us to research a technique called quantum key distribution between space and the ground, and vice versa. This is about creating encryption keys that cannot be intercepted or hacked without detection. 

“For businesses handling sensitive data, the protocols we’re developing here could revolutionise how they protect customer information and intellectual property. Our work directly addresses the estimated £27 billion annual cost of cybercrime to UK businesses and therefore benefits everyone.” 

HOGS provides unrivalled versatility and connectivity. Unlike standalone facilities, the new optical ground station is a first of its kind in the UK and has been integrated into Heriot-Watt University’s dark optical-fibre network, creating a living laboratory where scientists and visiting industry users can simulate everything from urban networks to intercontinental communications. It ensures new technologies can be tested in a controlled environment before real-world deployment, significantly reducing development time and cost. 

Dr Donaldson continues: “Our northern latitude gives us a unique advantage for tracking satellites and debris in polar orbits because we can observe objects for longer periods than stations located closer to the equator, potentially identifying smaller debris fragments that currently go undetected but pose serious collision risks to operational satellites.” 

The facility features a 4.5-metre-diameter observatory dome housing a high-precision 70-centimetre telescope equipped with advanced tracking systems and environmental monitoring tools. A secondary 40-centimetre telescope with visible and infrared cameras provides additional capabilities for space imaging and debris monitoring. 

Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal of Business and Enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, explained how HOGS will strengthen Scotland’s growing space sector: “This facility isn’t just an academic research tool, it’s an economic catalyst. Scotland’s space industry already supports 8,000 jobs and generates £880 million annually, but with infrastructure like HOGS, we’re creating the environment for this to significantly grow. 

“For Scottish and UK businesses working in the space sector, HOGS offers access to world-class testing facilities without the multi-million-pound infrastructure investment. Companies developing everything from sensitive cameras to optical transceivers can validate their technologies here before taking them to market. 

“We’re creating a vibrant space technology cluster at our Research Park which is already home to specialists like Celestia UK. We’re integrating academia and industry through a co-location model that will accelerate innovation, particularly in sectors like financial services, healthcare and critical infrastructure that will benefit most from quantum-secure communications. 

“Beyond the immediate economic impact, we’re building a skills pipeline that will produce the space workforce of tomorrow. Students from undergraduate to PhD level will gain hands-on experience with technology that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Scotland, while our outreach programme will spark interest in STEM subjects among local schoolchildren.” 

The facility was built as part of the Quantum Communications Hub project, funded through the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council;  it is part of a collaborative effort which also involves the Universities of Bristol, Strathclyde, and York, with space engineering expertise provided by the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space. The future remit of the facility is linked to the new Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, which is led by Heriot-Watt University. 

Professor Tim Spiller, Director of the Quantum Communications Hub, said: “Quantum secure communications will still protect data – for governments, businesses and individuals – in a future, fully quantum-enabled, world. We know already that such communications work with optical fibres, but clearly to address data security on a global scale we must add satellite capability. The experiments to be undertaken with HOGS represent a key next step to establishing this capability.” 

Professor Gerald Buller, Director of the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, added: “HOGS helps the UK to remain at the very forefront of quantum networking. Its location at Heriot-Watt, with direct fibre-optic links to our world-class quantum laboratories, will enable a range of ground-breaking experiments and quantum communications demonstrations, which were not previously possible. This will help to really accelerate progress towards establishing the global quantum networks of the future.” 

In 2024, Heriot-Watt announced it will lead the ground-breaking Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub, one of five new quantum technology hubs announced by the UK Government. This strengthens the university’s position at the forefront of developing the ultra-secure quantum internet of the future, with HOGS playing a central role in testing space-based components of this network. 

HOGS will also serve as an educational resource, with programmes for local schools designed to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. The facility will host visits where students can observe satellite tracking in real-time and learn about quantum physics and space technology through hands-on demonstrations. 

Businesses and researchers interested in collaborating with the new Optical Ground Station can get in touch via the website. 

The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub will address the challenges underpinning the establishment of a “quantum internet”, by developing the novel technologies, protocols and industry standards necessary for the deployment of a secure, scalable, quantum communications infrastructure for the UK and beyond. 

Led by Heriot-Watt University and supported by over £42M of EPSRC funding and industry contributions, the new Hub brings together the expertise of a further 12 leading UK universities (Bristol, Cambridge, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Imperial, Oxford, Queen’s Belfast, Sheffield, Southampton, Strathclyde, Warwick and York), two national laboratories – the National Physical Laboratory and STFC RAL Space – and over 40 industrial partners to secure the UK’s leadership in quantum secure communications.  

The project was formally launched yesterday in Edinburgh at an event attended by over 120 researchers, industry stakeholders, and government representatives. This included senior figures from the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT), UKRI, GCHQ, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Technology Scotland, the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), as well as key figures from the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme. 

Quantum networks enable the transmission and sharing of quantum information by harnessing entanglement and quantum measurement—capabilities that go beyond what classical systems can achieve. The Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub is working to realise scalable, practical quantum networks, from local links between quantum processors to national entanglement infrastructure and intercontinental satellite-based communications. This pioneering research opens up transformative possibilities in quantum-secure communications, distributed quantum computing, and ultra-sensitive quantum sensor networks. The hub’s vision aligns with the UK Government’s national quantum strategy, which sets out an ambitious goal: by 2035, the UK will have deployed the world’s most advanced quantum network infrastructure. 

Kickstarting the proceedings, Tom Newby, Head of DSIT’s Office for Quantum, talked about the opportunities afforded by quantum technologies for the UK’s evolving industry landscape, the development of supporting skillsets and the potential for economic boost through leading innovation and commercialisation activities. 

Secretary of State for Science and Technology, Peter Kyle said: 

 “Supporting the deployment of technology that emerges from the Quantum Research Hubs will mean faster diagnoses for diseases, critical infrastructure safe from hostile threats and cleaner energy, all of which are key to our Plan for Change. 

 “By pooling expertise from across the UK to capitalise on quantum technology, we can transform sectors like healthcare and security to improve lives and create a culture of accelerated innovation that helps to grow our economy.” 

The event featured a series of expert talks and panel discussions with industry partners, spotlighting the Hub’s vision to develop and commercialise next-generation quantum communication technologies. Highlights included advances in quantum memories, new network designs that integrate with today’s fibre-optic infrastructure, and satellite-enabled quantum communication—already being demonstrated through SPOQC, one of the UK’s flagship quantum space missions. To support the growing quantum ecosystem, researchers are also working on essential technologies like quantum light sources, detectors and switches, while contributing to the development of future security standards that will help shape the industry as it scales. 

Hub Director, Professor Gerald Buller from Heriot-Watt University, said:  

“The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub is building on the UK’s enormous strengths in quantum research and combines our world-class academic base with leading industry partners from across the telecommunications, space, security and quantum technology sectors. We have a hugely ambitious vision to establish UK leadership in quantum networking however, through this Hub, we have assembled an extraordinary partnership to help deliver this.”   

Andrew Lord, Head of Optical Network Research at BT, a key industry partners of the project, said:  

“BT is thrilled that this crucial quantum networks hub has been launched and we look forward to being involved with it. Quantum networks go far beyond Quantum Key Distribution and we are excited to see research leading towards the ultimate promise of quantum connections between quantum computers.” 

Professor Gillian Murray, Deputy Principal for Business and Enterprise, Heriot-Watt University added: 

“Collaboration sits at the heart of everything we do at Heriot-Watt. By working closely with industry, government, and research partners through initiatives like the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, we’re helping to shape the innovation clusters of the future—ones that will drive economic growth, deliver secure technologies, and position the UK as a global leader in quantum innovation. These partnerships are critical to unlocking new capabilities and translating world-class research into real-world impact.” 

The IQN Hub is part of a network of five quantum technology hubs, launched by UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with a £106 million investment from EPSRC, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), UKRI Medical Research Council (MRC), and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).  

To find out more, visit iqnhub.org